Multiscale Experimental Evaluation of Agarose-Based Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogels as Materials with Tunable Rheological and Transport Performance.

ABSTRACT: This study introduces an original concept in the development of hydrogel materials for controlled release of charged organic compounds based on semi-interpenetrating polymer networks composed by an inert gel-forming polymer component and interpenetrating linear polyelectrolyte with specific binding affinity towards the carried active compound. As it is experimentally illustrated on the prototype hydrogels prepared from agarose interpenetrated by poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and alginate (ALG), respectively, the main benefit brought by this concept is represented by the ability to tune the mechanical and transport performance of the material independently via manipulating the relative content of the two structural components. A unique analytical methodology is proposed to provide complex i

SUBMITTER: Trudicova M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7693122 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature